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Dealing with a booking agent

Does anyone have any advice when dealing with a booking agency? I have recently been contacted by one interested in me. Any pitfalls, scams or horror stories i should be aware of? this is new teritorry to me as all my gigs in the past have been through people i already know, thanks for any advice in advance

thanks for the advice guys, i had abit of a stalking session last night to find out more about them, they seem legit so ive found some people that are signed up with them, got in touch, and have asked them how they find the agency

IDK anything about the laws in the UK that regulate booking agents rakes. you should find out what the maximum cut an agent in your area is capable of getting, but a common rate is 10%. you should probably look into the business they run in your area and how many other people you recognize use them.if possible talk to another artist being booked by this agent/agency and ask them about their experience. you can also call agencies yourself and shop around the services and rates the one that is contacting you now offer.
if youre realistically finding yourself in a position where this agency is going to be booking you alot, you should talk to a lawyer. show them a copy of any contracts BEFORE you sign. do some home work if you are taking this serious and protect yourself before you dive in for anything.

Maybe I can help, I'm signed to a reputable booking agent who has a fair amount of mid-sized artists on his roster. The two most important things you need to do before signing on:

1) Check to see the success of other artists on their roster. Are they playing gigs all over, are they booked regularly at reputable places and are they being fairly compensated? The third one might not be that easy to find out, but you can certainly figure out their gig information through social media.

2) Booking agents are not miracle workers. They can make a good pitch for you, but ultimately it is the promoter who decides who to book. Promoters will not book you just because you are represented by someone, you need to bring something to the table (a following, cool music, unique performance, etc.) to make it worth their time and money.

If you have an offer from a reputable and legitimate agency, it's not a bad idea to sign on. But before you sign with them, make sure that they have your aspirations in mind, that they have improved the careers of others and that they can help you get closer to your goals.